


Scales and Arpeggios

by aruarudayo



Series: Memories [2]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Aru's poor attempts at humor, Gen, No pianos were harmed in the making of this fanfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-15
Updated: 2014-08-15
Packaged: 2018-02-13 06:09:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2140029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aruarudayo/pseuds/aruarudayo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Remember the time John gave Karkat a piano lesson...<i>and survived?</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Scales and Arpeggios

**Author's Note:**

> prompt from turboqueer@dreamwidth

“…And this is the C major scale. It’ll be your favorite thing if you keep this up.”

“Why do I even need to know about ‘scales’? They seem to serve no purpose at all.”

“They’re to help you remember key signatures! You know, those things I showed you that are at the beginning of every line.”

“Why can’t it all be the same thing?”

“Then it’d be harder to write music. How annoying do you think it’d be to constantly have to write sharps and flats throughout the entire song?”

“That would be grating.”

“Glad we agree. Okay, so this is…”

A few feet away, Dave and Jade stare, captivated.

“Do you think Karkat lost a bet?” Jade asks.

“He wouldn’t be getting lessons, then,” Dave replies, his shades almost hiding the incredulous look in his eyes. “Regardless though, they’ve been at it for half an hour, which is a new record for Karkles continuously using his indoor voice.”

“I can hear you!” Karkat yells.

“Well, that timer’s been reset.”

At the piano, John stifles a laugh. “I guess we won’t talk about what happened the first time you tried playing.”

Karkat glares at him. “That stays between us.”

“Aw, come on, Karkat; everyone’s awful at playing the piano when they first start. It takes getting used to.”

“That’s completely understandable. I can’t imagine how anyone could make music come out of this dichromatic contraption that easily.”

“Okay, admittedly you were pretty awful.”

Karkat scowls, turning and trying to look threatening without having to get up from the piano seat.

John holds up his hands, grinning. “I’m kidding! No one would care that you played badly, and I think they’d like the fact you’re actively trying to learn how to play.”

Karkat’s expression softens a little.

“On the other hand,” John continues, “I think they’d get a kick out of the fact that you alchemized the piano yourself, but for some reason it was so light that when you got frustrated and stood up, it toppled over and broke!”

Karkat angrily grabs John’s shirt, which does nothing to deter the smile on his face.

“Wow, have you two gotten that close already?” Dave says, leaning over the top of the piano.

“Are you insinuating that I have any sort of romantic leanings for this stupid human?” Karkat growls, shaking John for emphasis.

“Hey, you said it, not me.

John puts his hands on Karkat’s shoulders when the troll tenses up. “Hey, Karkat, we’re just teasing. Remember what happened last time.”

Karkat pauses, then relaxes a bit. John sighs, since Karkat never really relaxes, but he supposes it’s the best he’s going to get.

Karkat surprises him by scooting over and pulling him down onto the bench. “Show me that scale again.”

Dave looks at him over the top of his shades, while John just grins.


End file.
